Damn battery keeps going dead! Any ideas?

[TIMSPEED]

Any ideas of where I should look first? I haven't touched any wires lately, and it's just been doing this for maybe the past month.

[MylilBowTie]

I thought you fixed it? Did you ever check the bulkhead connector where the engine bay and the fuse box meet?

[ElGracho]

Check for a constant draw. Get a 12v test light, remove your positive battery cable and put the test light between the cable and the battery + post. If the light is off, you have a battery that won't hold a charge or an intermittant load. If it lights, remove fuses until it goes out. The load is on the fuse that makes it go out. Start there.

If the light never goes out and all the fuses are out, the load is upstream of the fuse box. I had a draw like that on my 75, turned out to be the brand new alternator I had put it. I found it by unplugging the plug on the alternator.

[TIMSPEED]

Originally Posted by ElGracho

Check for a constant draw. Get a 12v test light, remove your positive battery cable and put the test light between the cable and the battery + post. If the light is off, you have a battery that won't hold a charge or an intermittant load. If it lights, remove fuses until it goes out. The load is on the fuse that makes it go out. Start there.

If the light never goes out and all the fuses are out, the load is upstream of the fuse box. I had a draw like that on my 75, turned out to be the brand new alternator I had put it. I found it by unplugging the plug on the alternator.

I don't think I have a test light, but I do have a multimeter. What if my battery is STONE COLD dead though?

[rolson1039]

charge the battery and then buy a test light therye like $4.99 at auto zone or any other auto parts store

[ElGracho]

Originally Posted by rolson1039

charge the battery and then buy a test light therye like $4.99 at auto zone or any other auto parts store

Yeah, what he said...

[hotrodhomi]

If you have a mutimeter, use it. Just set it to read current (amps). It works like the test light but will tell you just how much of a current draw you have. If you have a amp for your stereo you should expect a little bit. Also, don’t forget to shut the door if the dome light is on. speaking of dome lights. I had a customer come in and have the dome light on . SHE didn’t drive it at night so she never saw that it was on..just a dead battery. She was happy that there was no charge nut a little embarrassed.

[TIMSPEED]

Originally Posted by hotrodhomi

If you have a mutimeter, use it. Just set it to read current (amps). It works like the test light but will tell you just how much of a current draw you have. If you have a amp for your stereo you should expect a little bit. Also, don’t forget to shut the door if the dome light is on. speaking of dome lights. I had a customer come in and have the dome light on . SHE didn’t drive it at night so she never saw that it was on..just a dead battery. She was happy that there was no charge nut a little embarrassed.

I don't think my multimeter reads amps. Also, I don't have any sort of stereo in the truck, and the dome light doesn't work (never has as far as I can remember)

[Prerunner1982]

tim you have a tach in your truck? how is it wired? switched or constant? if it stays at 0 when ignition is turned off then its constant and you need to rewire it. I was having problems with my battery going dead and it was because of that, but it wouldnt always do it cause the ground wasnt the greatest and wouldnt always complete the circuit.

[TIMSPEED]

ok, I found the problem. I took every fuse out, and it still had a .3 amp draw...disconnect the alternator...0 amp draw! How would the alternator DRAW amps?!? Anyway, just sent the other half down to Kragens to get it warrantied. But it's odd...that alternator is only like a month old!

[rolson1039]

thats what happens when you get a bad load of parts for it like the diodes or you get someone who inadvertantly leaves some kind of short in it when rebuilding it. one time i had to go through three to get a good one all from the same rebuilder it was his garbage rebuild kits

[TIMSPEED]

Interesting though...I guess I should have sprung for the NEW alternators instead of the Reman ones...

[76HighSierra]

Originally Posted by TIMSPEED

Interesting though...I guess I should have sprung for the NEW alternators instead of the Reman ones...

Either that, or stay a MILE away from Checker or Kragen. I buy my batteries, oil and filters there...nothing else. Everything else is either NAPA, a small local mom and pop place , or online.

[TIMSPEED]

Originally Posted by 76HighSierra

Either that, or stay a MILE away from Checker or Kragen. I buy my batteries, oil and filters there...nothing else. Everything else is either NAPA, a small local mom and pop place , or online.

Shyeah. I know for a fact that NAPA is a kickass place! I usually get all my stuff their, it's just this is a lifetime warranty alternator, that I originally bought like 5 years ago, and just keep getting a new one.

[BaggedC10]

You wouldn't have to worry about a warranty if you purchased a quality alternator from GM or Powermaster. Like Mike always says....."You get what you pay for."

[Mike76251]

I always ask "where was it rebuilt at"
If mExico is the answer I go elsewhere.